Hair Loss in Your 20s: Causes, Solutions, and Prevention

So you're in your 20s, living your best life with a bright future. All of a sudden, you notice your hair making a dramatic exit. It started with more than usual strands on your pillow, then more on your hair brush, and even more in the shower drain. Why is this happening, and why is it so early? Isn't this supposed to happen to older people? Now what?

Don't worry, you're not alone. Research by the American Hair Loss Association shows that 25% of men experience hair loss before turning 21. I, too, started losing hair in my 30s, so I understand how you might be feeling.

The good news is, if you know the cause of your hair loss, there's a good chance you can grow it back, especially if it's not male pattern baldness like mine.

Let's dig deeper into the causes and treatment and answer the question: can you prevent hair loss in your 20s?

Signs of Hair Loss in Your 20s

There are different signs of hair loss depending on the cause, which we will discuss later. Here are the most common signs to look out for:

• Thinning hair: One of the earliest signs of hair loss in your 20s is thinning around the temples.

• Widening Part: If you notice that your part seems to be widening than usual, you're experiencing hair loss.

• Thinning on Top: Some may notice hair loss at the crown or vertex while the sides remain thick.

• Receding hairline: If you notice an "M" shape on your hairline, it's receding. The sides usually recede faster than the hair on top.

• Hair Falls in Clumps: Losing hair in bunches may indicate a more serious underlying condition or a temporary hair loss caused by too much stress.

• Increased Scalp Visibility: When you start seeing more of your scalp than before, it may signal hair thinning.

Why is My Hair Thinning in My 20s? The Usual Suspects

There are different reasons why you may be losing hair in your 20s. The most common is genetics (male pattern baldness), then there are hormonal changes, stress-related hair loss, unhealthy diet, medical conditions, medications, and traction alopecia, to name a few.

Genetics

If your grandfather and dad wear a toupée, you know what's coming. Based on my family history, early onset balding is inevitable. Male pattern baldness is inherited and can kick in as early as your 20s, as we already mentioned.

I may not have lost my hair in my 20s, but my precious locks started bidding goodbye in my late 30s, and in my 40s, I was already in the late stages of the Norwood scale. I'll share how I overcame pattern baldness in one of the best solutions to hair loss in your 20s later.

Stress-Related Hair Loss

Telogen Effluvium is a temporary hair loss condition that high-stress levels can trigger. Any situation that raises your stress levels can cause telogen effluvium. The good news is this is temporary! There's a strong chance that you can regrow your hair once the stress levels are under control.

Diet and Nutrition

Working from 9 to 5 may limit the time to prepare healthy food. It's common to fall for the fast-food diet because, as its name implies, you can get it hot, fast. And who doesn't love burgers, pizza, soda, and fries? You must realize you're setting yourself up for hair loss due to poor nutrition. Our scalps need the proper nutrition to keep them healthy.

On the other end of the spectrum, extreme dieting can be the culprit of your hair loss. Again, lack of nutrition is the issue here; you may lose weight with your diet but experience falling hair.

If you didn't know, hair vitamins and supplements can help promote healthy hair growth. Here are the vitamins and supplements that you need to add to your diet:

• Biotin

• Protein

• Iron

• Collagen

• Vitamin A

• Vitamin B

• Vitamin C

• Vitamin E

• Omega 3

• Zinc

You can read our article on hair vitamins to learn what foods you can eat to get these vitamins and supplements. You'll notice healthy hair growth once you've added these to your well-balanced diet.

Medical Conditions

Thyroid disorders

If you have thyroid issues like hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, it may lead to hair loss or hair shedding. If you experience fatigue or weight gain, you may have hypothyroidism. If you notice weight loss or rapid heartbeat, you may have hyperthyroidism. Consult a health professional for the best treatment options.

Alopecia Areata

Another medical condition that causes hair loss in your 20s is Alopecia Areata. I remember being stressed out in my mid-20s and noticing round bald patches on my head. Yikes! What if this was permanent? Male pattern baldness was what I was expecting, and losing hair like this wasn't it. Alopecia areata can occur in your 20s, and when it hit me, my mom brought me along to her dermatologist, who gave me a tube of topical steroids (corticosteroids), which I quickly applied to my scalp. In weeks, it was gone, thank God!

Stress was my trigger, but alopecia areata can also happen due to pregnancy, trauma, a virus, or other illnesses.

Scalp Ringworm

Tinea capitis or scalp ringworm usually occurs in children between 3 and 14 but can also affect adults. It's a fungal infection that causes patchy hair loss and has the following symptoms:

• Patches of hair loss

• Dry, scaly rashes

• Swollen red patches

• Flaking scalp

• Low fever

• Swollen lymph nodes

Healthcare providers usually recommend oral antifungal medication, creams, or shampoos to treat this condition. You'll notice hair regrowth as you treat the fungal infection.

Medications

If you're taking prescription drugs, they may have side effects, including hair loss. If you're taking medication for:

• Arthritis

• Blood Pressure

• Seizure

• Indigestion

• Heartburn

• Acid Reflux

• Lupus

• High Cholesterol

• Diabetes

• Type 2 Diabetes

Consult with your physician and tell him that you think the prescription drugs you're taking are causing hair thinning, and ask for an alternative medicine that isn't known to cause thinning hair.

Read our comprehensive guide on medications that cause hair loss to learn more.

Traction Alopecia

If you wear your hat too tightly or sport tight braids, tight ponytails, or hair knots, you may experience hair loss due to traction alopecia. Let's be clear: hats don't cause hair loss, but wearing one too tightly can. If you experience excessive shedding or thinning hair, it may be time to change your tight hairstyles or wear a looser-fitting hat.

The Best Solutions to Hair loss in your 20s

Consult a Professional

Before treating your hair thinning problem, you must first determine the cause for proper treatment. For example, your doctor can give you the best recommendation if your hair loss is due to medications or an underlying medical condition. If it's male pattern baldness, you need to move fast because the hair you've lost, you won't recover anymore. The only thing you can do is to maintain what you've got or delay the hair loss progression.

Lifestyle Changes

If you're not eating right and not working out, it's time to start exercising and eating a balanced diet with healthier food. A lifestyle change may prevent further hair loss and help promote healthy hair growth.

If stress is your trigger, like me, try to chill out and not worry so much about your hair loss. If the cause is temporary, like telogen effluvium, you can regain what you've lost and experience healthy hair growth; if it's permanent, like pattern hair loss, embrace it and focus on other stuff that can make you a better person. Hair doesn't define who you are.

Medications

Finasteride

A popular treatment for hair loss and an enlarged prostrate is finasteride. You can choose from oral or topical finasteride combined with minoxidil for better hair growth results. As with most drug treatments, be wary of side effects when taking finasteride.

Minoxidil

Minoxidil is clinically proven to cause hair growth, which is why many who lose their hair in their 20s may consider this treatment. Dermatologists recommend this treatment, and you can buy it over the counter.

I went the natural route for hair loss at the onset of my pattern hair loss because, similar to finasteride, I was concerned about minoxidil's side effects. If you go for these hair growth treatments, remember to take them for life to maintain results (if any). Stopping the medications will cause you to lose the hair you've gained or maintained.

Pick the Right Hairstyle

A shorter hairstyle is ideal in the early stages of pattern baldness. You can ask your barber or hair stylist to choose the best haircut to mask your thinning hair, receding hairline, or hair shedding. If hair loss is severe, no combovers please. You can ask your stylist which of these looks good on you:

• Buzz Cut

• Completely Bald

• Crew Cut

• Slicked Back Style

• Push Forward Crop

• The Bro Flo

• Top Knot

• Short and Messy Style

• Short Caesar

• Roger Sterling Cut

Read our article on the best haircuts for baldies for more details.

Scalp Micropigmentation

Scalp micropigmentation is a non-invasive hair loss treatment that is a quick solution to hair loss. It's also cheaper than a hair transplant surgery. Scalp micropigmentation uses pigments implanted on your scalp, like a hairline tattoo, to make it look like you aren't bald. For pricing, read our article on SMP costs to understand how much you'll spend on the treatment.

Shave It All Off

After going down the rabbit hole of hair growth products, I finally decided to shave it all off since my horseshoe was showing off, and my expected hair growth from the products I was using didn't meet my expectations. I was in the late stage of pattern baldness, and complete hair loss was imminent.

I wouldn't wait until my scalp would eventually stop producing hair before I shaved.

Once shaved, I never regretted my decision and hoped I did it sooner. It's just hair! Embrace your baldness and be confident in your new skin. I know you're afraid to take the leap. What if it doesn't look good on you?

Bald looks better than balding. You'll look younger and neat versus bald on top with hair on the sides. You can look good bald by applying the bald fashion tips we shared in our comprehensive bald fashion guide. But you'll need a reliable shaver like Freebird's FlexSeries Pro to get the job done. It's an upgrade to the best-selling FlexSeries Classic that millions of head shavers have loved.

You'll get these features with your FlexSeries Pro:

• A powerful adaptive motor (adjust based on hair thickness)

• An enhanced four-blade design with independent foils

• A travel lock

• A larger hair capture chamber

• Anti-slip coating and rubber grips

• A two-blade system for easier cleaning

• IPX7 waterproofing

• A 90-minute battery life

In the Freebird tradition, you'll get freebies worth $60:

• Upgraded Precision Clipper

• 3, 5, 7mm Safety Guards

• Advanced Nose & Ear Trimmer

• Micro Cleaning Brush

Get one now for $59.95 from the Freebird website or on Amazon.

If you're looking for a budget five-head shaver, the FlexSeries classic is a good alternative at $39.95.

Click the link as we compare them head to head: FlexSeries Classic vs. the FlexSeries Pro.

The Bottom Line

Losing your hair in your 20s can feel like an unwelcome plot twist in your life story. One day, you're admiring your hair; the next, you're starting to count the number of strands on your pillow, hairbrush, and shower drain.

Remember you're not alone in this journey and that there are solutions for your hair loss problem. With a mix of lifestyle changes, medications, a new stylish haircut, or shaving it all off, there's hope for everyone facing this hairy situation.

Hair isn't everything, and it doesn't define who you are. There will be bashers, yes, and that's normal these days.

Hair or no hair, be confident in who you are.

FAQs

Why am I Balding at 20?

Ah, the million-dollar question: if you're in your 20s and noticing hair thinning, you're not alone. The common reasons for premature baldness are

• Genetics

• Hormonal changes

• Stress

• Medical conditions

• Medications

• Poor nutrition

Can I Prevent Hair Loss in my 20s?

If there were a way to reverse hair loss or prevent hair loss at any age, the person who invented that solution or hair loss treatment would be the wealthiest man on the planet! As discussed above, there are ways to grow your hair back if the cause is temporary, or maintain and delay baldness, if the cause is permanent hair loss, like male pattern baldness,

What Dietary Changes Can Help with Hair Loss?

If your diet consists mainly of pizza and energy drinks (hey, we've all been there), it might be time for a culinary makeover! A balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals is crucial for healthy hair regrowth. Focus on protein-rich foods (think eggs and fish), iron (hello, spinach!), and vitamins A, C, D, and E. Not only will your hair thank you, but your body will too! Plus, who doesn't want an excuse to eat more avocado toast?

Should I See a Doctor About My Hair Loss?

If you're concerned about your thinning locks, consult a healthcare provider! They can help determine the underlying causes of your hair loss and recommend appropriate hair loss treatments tailored to your needs. Think of them as your personal hair detectives—solving the mystery of your hair's disappearing act.

Can I Use Supplements to Promote Hair Growth?

Yes! Supplements can be a great addition to your routine if you need more nutrients from food. A balanced diet plus supplements are an excellent idea to promote hair growth. Look for ones rich in biotin, zinc, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids—these nutrients support healthy hair growth.

Are There Specific Hairstyles that Can Help Hide Thinning Hair?

Absolutely! If you notice some thinning on top or at the temples, consider opting for short hair to help mask those areas. Styles like the buzz or crew cut can be incredibly flattering and easy to maintain. Just remember: no combovers!

How Long Does it Take to See Results from Hair Loss Treatments?

Patience is key! Most hair loss treatments, like minoxidil or finasteride, require consistent use for several months before you start to see results. It’s like waiting for that perfect avocado to ripen—good things come to those who wait! Typically, you should allow at least three to six months before judging the effectiveness of any treatment. So hang tight; your hair might surprise you!